Vershon Moore will never be able to completely erase the moment that nearly cost him everything.

His conviction of bank robbery in 2011 will always stay with him, something Moore is at peace with.

Given the opportunity to complete his education and football career at Washburn after serving two years in prison, the running back says he now uses the experience as a reminder of how fortunate he is to have a second chance.

“Even this morning, before the spring game, it went through my head,” Moore said Saturday in his first interview with The Topeka Capital-Journal since his arrest and subsequent return to the team. “I think I use it as more of a reminder to be thankful after where I came from to where I’m at now. I don’t think it’ll be completely gone. I still think of it, but I’m thinking of it to help me move forward in life.”

Moore is well on his way to taking full advantage of his second opportunity. After he was released from prison last summer, Washburn allowed Moore to enroll in school and rejoin the team. He returned to the field last year and is primed for a big senior season.

“I’m just grateful to have a second chance of playing football again after what I went through,” Moore said. “For the coaches to allow me to come back to the team, it’s been just an amazing experience for me. I hope that I can share what I've been through with other people.”

Moore admitted he was convinced his career was over after he was arrested, and then pled guilty for his role in the armed robbery of an Envista Credit Union in Topeka.

“When everything happened, at first, I just thought it was over for me,” he said. “I had some time for myself to get my thoughts together. That was my time to get closer with God.

“After a period of time, I just started praying and started to get that faith back and just believing that things would work out, kind of like they did. I’m just thankful to be here.”

Moore credited his family for continuing to stay supportive throughout his incarceration, as well as Washburn coach Craig Schurig.

“During that time, me and coach got real close,” Moore said. “At first when everything happened, I just kind of put myself away from everybody. He took the time and the opportunity to come see me and stay in touch with me. That meant a lot to me, especially during that time.

“And I told him during that time, ‘This is more than just a coach-player relationship. I look at you as more than just a coach.’”

Moore’s second chance has been a gratifying sight for his former teammates, including Carolina Panther Brian Folkerts, who was once a roommate with Moore.

“It’s a blessing to see him out here back playing,” said Folkerts, a former All-American offensive lineman at Washburn. “With everything that happened, it was completely out of character. Nobody saw that coming at all. It’s just great to see that he’s getting a second chance and an opportunity to still prove that he could maybe go to the next level after all the adversity that he’s gone through.”

Moore played in seven games last season, rushing for 412 yards with eight touchdowns. He was initially unable to travel with the team for out-of-state road games until completing terms of his parole. An ankle injury also caused him to a miss a game and limited his production in the final two games.

Moore, a native of Spencer, Okla., said it was a process to get used to playing again after the long layoff.

“It took me a while to get back into the rhythm of things," Moore said. "I still feel like I’m getting into that rhythm. But I feel like I’m better off this spring than I was last fall, because I came back that summer and just had to jump right into it. But I feel better now, especially just being around football, working out and being around teammates again.”

Moore, a first-team All-MIAA selection in his freshman and sophomore seasons at Washburn, has rushed for 2,380 career yards and needs 1,037 this season to break the school record for career rushing yards.

Moore said he feels more comfortable being a team leader heading into his senior season.

“When I first came back, I just kind of tried to stay back and get used to everybody,” Moore said. “But before the spring, my coach kind of told me just to step up a little and get the team together on one accord. Especially this summer, I feel like I’m going to step up and take a leadership position.”

Moore wants to use his experience to become a motivational speaker and already has his first piece of advice.

“The thing I like to say is — and I’m going to stick with this until the end — take advantage of your opportunities in front of you," Moore said. “You could be here one day, the next day you could be gone. Whether it’s playing football, or whatever it is in life, just take advantage of your opportunity and be the best that you can at it.”

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AdAstra I hope that you have never ever done anything wrong or have ever made a mistake. I'm not condoning what he did and I'm glad that the coach gave him a second chance to be somebody or do you think he should be sent back to the streets and never get a chance?

There needs to me more people in the world like you. To give someone a second chance in life after they made a horrible choice in life is commendable. I just pray that this young man continues to take this opportunity and make the best out of it.

I believe in 2nd chances and redemption...however, I would like to see a person live on the "straight and narrow" for a while (read like 10 years) after committing a felony like bank robbery before they are lifted up as an example of a person who has learned from their mistakes and moved on.

A soldier coming back from battle missing limbs might disagree with you about the level of a set back. A self admitted drug user becoming the potus wouldn't happen in your world would it. And probably the worst President in history will get paid to make speeches when he is no longer in office.

Hope he stays out of trouble and learned a lesson, we will see. Amazing how many jail house conversions there are, but few last- hope he is an exception.

Now what the heck, only two years for armed robbery of a bank, no wonder people keep a revolving door and crime on increase. Wasn't there a multiple shoplifter it town that got way more than two years. When you commit a crime using a weapon, time should be more. Another example of uneven justice, like the kid that killed 4 while driving drunk, suffered from having too much money, sent off to resort. Then some lawyer in Topeka runs over a bicycle rider, kills him while on drugs, what he get two years? Justice scales are way off, but back to point, lets hope this guy is not one of those conversions with limited reality.